A TEAM of recently injured spinal patients from the North-East will take part in the Inter Spinal Unit Games next week at Stoke Mandeville Stadium.

The national charity WheelPower – which organises the games - will welcome a team of eight patients from James Cook University Hospital to the Buckinghamshire venue.

The team from the Middlesbrough hospital will take on teams from 12 other spinal injury centres from across the UK and Ireland.

The flagship sport event allows newly injured patients to discover and compete in a range of wheelchair sports The participants will receive coaching and demonstrations from leading wheelchair sports athletes and experienced coaches.

For nearly three decades the Inter Spinal Unit Games have been transforming lives.

Paralympion Matt Skelhon first found his talent for target shooting at the Stoke Mandeville games, two years later he claimed a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. People who have had their lives changed through a traumatic injury or illness will discover what they can achieve both in terms of sport and an independent lifestyle.

WheelPower’s sport development officer, Stewart Jeeves, who organises the event said: “The Inter Spinal Unit Games are a great opportunity for people with a spinal cord injury to try sports. Sport is a key part of rehabilitation, it also gives great social interaction and a confidence boost to people after a spinal cord injury.”

“Our aim is to encourage participation in sport and physical activity and support the fantastic work Middlesbrough do in their own rehabilitation programme.”